The invention relates to an apparatus for moving a part, in particular in a motor vehicle, with an adjusting mechanism as generically defined by the preamble to the main claim.
Such apparatuses are widely known; the mechanical components are increasingly being supplemented with electric motor components. In this way, sliding roofs in motor vehicles, for instance, can be opened and closed electrically, which as a rule is done with the aid of geared motor that is coupled to the sliding roof via a riser helix. In the known versions for this purpose, the coupling of the geared motor to the riser helix is done via a gear wheel that is solidly connected to the gear unit and that drives the riser helix. For assembly, the gear wheel seated on the gear unit must be made to engage the riser helix that is already installed in the motor vehicle; this is often difficult to do in terms of manipulation and entails unavoidable and undesirable tolerances. For instance, tilting or axial offsets can occur, which impair the meshing of the teeth. There is often also undesired and irritating noise as a result.
Such problems are also known in other systems, in which an electric motor adjusting mechanism must cooperate on the one hand with movable parts that have not yet been installed and on the other with preinstalled parts that are solid with the auto body.
The apparatus according to the invention having the characteristics of the main claim has the advantage that the association of the power takeoff part with the part to be moved is improved; this leads to greater running smoothness and an attendant noise abatement, as well as reducing wear.
Because of the separate bearing of the power takeoff part, which otherwise is usually disposed on a gear member, the meshing conditions can be optimized. Because of the defined installation, for instance into a frame that is solid with the auto body, the power takeoff part can be adapted with very low tolerances to the part to be moved. This pertains both to tolerances that are due substantially to bearing plays, deviations from concentricity, and eccentricities, and tolerances in terms of the axial association of the power takeoff part with the part to be moved, which are primarily due to assembly-related factors.
Furthermore, assembly or the removal and installation of the motor or gear if repair becomes necessary are facilitated substantially, because the power takeoff part can remain in connection with the part to be moved.
By the provisions recited in the dependent claims, advantageous refinements of the apparatus of the main claim are possible.
For instance, it is advantageous if the coupling of the power takeoff part to a gear member is effected via an indentation that is recessed in the power takeoff part. With respect to its geometry, the indentation can be embodied in various ways, for instance hexagonally; the only decisive factor is that a positive connection with an extension corresponding to the indentation being made; the extension is formed with suitable geometry on the end of the gear member toward the indentation.
For coupling the power takeoff part to the gear member, it is also possible conversely for the indentation to be embodied on the gear member and the extension to be embodied on the power takeoff part. This reversal changes nothing in terms of the described coupling principle.
A crowned extension has the advantage that slight tilting, dictated by assembly, in the axis of the gear member relative to the axis of the power takeoff part are possible without leading an impairment of the meshing performance.
If the part to be moved is a sliding roof of a motor vehicle and the roof is operatively connected to the power takeoff part via a riser helix, and furthermore if the power takeoff part is formed by a gear wheel that drives the riser helix and meshes with contrarily movable portions of the riser helix, then all the above-described advantages are obtained, even in the case of a special apparatus for opening and closing a sliding roof.
It is advantageous if the gear wheel meshing with the riser helix is retained on its side remote from the connecting point by a sheet-metal spring and is pressed by this sheet-metal spring against a bearing bush that in turn is retained in a roof frame that is solid with the auto body. As a result, not only is an optimal fixation of the gear wheel in the bearing bush attained, but at the same time assembly becomes very simple.
The bearing bush is retained in an opening in the roof frame whose center point ideally has precisely equal spacings from two walls of the roof frame that guide the riser helix. It is thus assured that the bearing bush and the gear wheel supported in it are each disposed with equal spacing from contrarily movable portions of the riser helix.
In a further advantageous feature, the sheet-metal spring has a collar, which embraces a side face of a concentric extension, on the side of the gear wheel remote from the connecting point.
This fixes the sheet-metal spring relative to the gear wheel. If furthermore the sheet-metal spring, with its outer peripheral regions, partly embraces the two portions of the riser helix transversely to its running direction, then guidance and fixation of, these portions of the riser helix relative to the gear wheel are also assured.
By a suitable choice of material for the sheet-metal spring, specific conditions at the installation location can be reacted to. The use of hardened sheet steel minimizes wear, while light metals contribute to reducing weight.
The disposition of an elastic element between the extension and the indentation is also advantageous. By means of this element, which by way of example is made from a soft plastic or a rubberlike material, acoustic decoupling can be achieved. The elastic element can be applied to the extension in the form of a coating, so that then, as before, a direct connection still exists between the extension and the indentation. However, an indirect connection via a suitably shaped elastic intermediate member that is disposed between the extension and the indentation is also conceivable.
By the separation of the power takeoff part and the gear as described, still other provisions for acoustic decoupling of the motor from corresponding auto body parts can also be better realized. If the complete gear unit is suspended from elastic decoupling elements, then because of the elastic suspension the motor and gear unit can execute motions relative to the auto body parts. However, these motions do not then adversely affect the meshing performance of the power takeoff part with the part to be moved, since the power takeoff part remains firmly associated with the corresponding auto body part.
It is understood that the use of the apparatus according to the invention is not limited only to sliding roofs. It can be utilized for all problems of adjustment in the automotive field, for instance with electric window controls, seat adjusters, aids in closing the most various auto body openings, such as the trunk lid and the engine hood, or headlight and steering wheel adjusters.